Flooding in New Jersey, March 21 to 22, 2000

The tight gradient (difference in surface pressures between a low pressure system along the Middle Atlantic Coastal Waters and a strong high pressure system in the Canadian Maritimes), produced isolated pockets of minor flooding the morning of the 21st and more widespread, but still minor tidal flooding during the evening of the 21st. The tidal flooding on the evening of the 21st was exacerbated by the heavy rain. Tidal flooding occurred to the first areas that normally flood during spring tide events. In Atlantic City the heavy rain and higher tides caused flooding along the Black Horse Pike (U.S. Routes 40 and 322). The roadway was clsoed for about an hour between Atlantic City and Pleasantville. Elsewhere in Atlantic City, minor tidal flooding occurred in Venice Park and Fairmont Avenue. Minor tidal flooding also occurred in Longport (Atlantic County), the north end of Brigantine (Atlantic County) and Ocean City (Cape May County). The same combination of heavy rain and tides caused minor tidal flooding in Delaware Bay in Greenwich Township (Cumberland County). Some erosion occurred as the beaches were pounded by large waves. Seas became very high because the northeast flow persisted for a couple of days. The evening high tide at Sandy Hook peaked at 6.8 feet above mean lower low water at 948 p.m. EST. At the Cape May Ferry Terminal, it peaked at 6.9 feet above mean lower low water at 936 p.m. EST and in Atlantic City it peaked at 6.44 feet above mean lower low water at 848 p.m. EST. Minor tidal flooding usually begins at 6.7 feet above mean lower low water.